Email the mayor today and urge her to further ensure patient access during COVID-19.

In response to COVID-19, Mayor Bowser has issued a stay-at-home order for D.C. residents and a temporary closure of non-essential businesses.

Fortunately, medical cannabis businesses have been deemed “essential” under the order and remain open to patients across the District.

Still, there are additional actions that could be taken to ensure patients can safely access their medicine in a way that is consistent with public health guidelines on preventing the spread of coronavirus:

• Allowing and encouraging cannabis delivery, including allowing for it to be contactless. (This is particularly important for patients who are immunocompromised, elderly, or otherwise particularly at-risk.)
• Allowing and encouraging online ordering and curbside pickup from dispensaries
• Extending the expiration date of medical cannabis cards until after the crisis has abated

A number of states with medical cannabis programs have already implemented these measures in response to coronavirus.

Click here to email Mayor Bowser to thank her for declaring medical cannabis businesses essential and to urge her to pursue further steps to safeguard access while promoting social distancing.

You can also sign our petition for safe access in times of coronavirus here.

Thank you for your compassion. We wish you and your loved ones well.

Contact Gov. Baker and tell him Massachusetts residents should have sensible and safe access to cannabis during the crisis.

Yesterday, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker refused to reverse his earlier decision to halt adult cannabis sales. Once again, he said it was because he worries allowing sales will attract visitors from other states.

But a more rational solution exists: limit adult-use cannabis sales to Massachusetts residents only during the ongoing health crisis. If you support this idea, please take a moment to send an email message to Gov. Baker right now, letting him know that Massachusetts cannabis consumers need and deserve safe access to regulated products.

More than 30 Massachusetts cannabis companies published an open letter to state officials this week, expressing support for temporarily restricting adult sales to state residents and committing to taking the same steps as other “essential” businesses to protect public health. When asked about adopting such an approach, Gov. Baker questioned the legality of treating residents and non-residents differently. But as the Boston Globe reported, cannabis policy experts have circulated a memo explaining why the state would be on strong legal ground.

In these challenging times, residents of the Commonwealth deserve safe access to regulated cannabis. Click here to send a message to Gov. Baker, letting him know you support limiting sales to state residents.

Just a few weeks ago, before life changed dramatically, the South Carolina Compassionate Care Act (H. 3660/S. 366) was primed for action.

In January and February, the House 3M subcommittee heard testimony on H. 3660. Another committee meeting on the bill was scheduled for March 25, and we were optimistic H. 3660 would advance. Meanwhile, the Senate Medical Affairs Committee scheduled a March 19 hearing on S. 366.

Unfortunately, both hearings were cancelled as the legislature began to furlough to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. It remains to be seen if any legislation other than COVID-related issues will be taken up this year or if we’ll have to refocus efforts to 2021.

Stay tuned for updates and opportunities to move the issue forward, including a voter guide on state legislative candidates.

We wish you and your loved ones well during these difficult times.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Marijuana Policy Project is continuing to fight for safe access to cannabis and policies to roll back the devastating war on marijuana.

Today, MPP — along with the Last Prisoner Project, Law Enforcement Action Partnership, Clergy for a New Drug Policy, Doctors for Cannabis Regulation, National Cannabis Industry Association, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) — sent a letter urging law enforcement officials to dramatically curtail arrests for non-violent crimes, including ceasing arrests for cannabis offenses. In addition to curtailing arrests, we are also calling for officials to release or grant clemency to those incarcerated for cannabis offenses along with dramatically reducing the number of incarcerated non-violent prisoners, whether sentenced or un-sentenced.

Public health experts have warned that the coronavirus poses an extreme threat not only to inmates, but also to the staff that serve them, along with their families and communities. Conditions in prisons and jails are known to cause disease and infection to run rampant, and these institutions are already seeing a spike in confirmed COVID-19 cases. As a result, several localities have already begun to release inmates incarcerated for nonviolent, drug-related offenses.

Likewise, since asymptomatic individuals can spread the virus, any law enforcement-civilian interaction includes a risk of transmitting coronavirus to either party. Thus, arrests for nonviolent offenses should be curtailed until the country is better able to prevent the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, last week, MPP and allied organizations sent letters urging governors and legislative leaders in states with medical cannabis and adult-use programs to take necessary actions to ensure continued safe access to cannabis in a way that is consistent with public health. We’re also tracking state-level measures being taken to preserve safe access as states rapidly respond to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Sign our petition urging governors to ensure safe access to cannabis during the pandemic.

MPP will continue fighting for safe and sensible criminal justice and cannabis-related policies, both during and after the critical COVID-19 situation. There is no justification for arresting and jailiing individuals for marijuana offenses during this crisis, and our primary priority must now be reducing opportunities for transmission of the virus in order to save lives.

Sending best wishes for your health and safety.

On Tuesday, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice signed SB 339, a bill that authorizes rulemaking by the Department of Health and Human Resources. The final version of the bill included an amendment adding “dry leaf or plant form” to the list of acceptable forms of medical cannabis. As a result, it appears that when dispensaries open, they will be able to sell cannabis flower to patients!

Thanks to all who contacted their legislators and helped secure this important victory. The legislature is no longer in session, so further progress on cannabis policy will have to wait until 2021. Fortunately, 2020 is an election year, so there will likely be many opportunities to replace elected officials who have opposed sensible cannabis policies with candidates who are supportive of reforms.

We will send more information on candidates’ positions in advance of the primary election, which is scheduled for May 12. Until then, please stay safe, and be sure to forward this good news to any patients you know who are waiting for legal access to medical cannabis.

Contact Gov. Baker and your state legislators and tell them cannabis businesses must be designated as essential!

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has ordered that all nonessential businesses cease operations until April 7. Medical cannabis dispensaries and package beverage stores have been designated as essential services, but adult-use cannabis businesses have not.

Please join with us in asking Gov. Baker to ensure that cannabis businesses are allowed to continue operating during the crisis. Click here to send a message to the governor to ask him to reconsider.

Please also send a message to your state legislators and urge them to push for adult-use cannabis businesses to be designated as essential services.

Every other legalization state where regulated sales have begun — Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington — is allowing adult-use cannabis businesses to continue operating, even as other businesses are closed under stay-at-home orders.

Many adults in Massachusetts rely on cannabis for their well being. Some are patients who are not registered for the medical cannabis program, and others depend on cannabis as an alternative to alcohol or other more dangerous substances. Shutting down adult-use cannabis businesses will also be crippling for businesses, especially economic empowerment applicants, and it will deprive state and local governments of tax revenue that could be used to mitigate the COVID-19 crisis.

After you send a message to Gov. Baker and email your state legislators, please share this message with your family and friends.

Encourage Gov. Dunleavy to maintain and extend good cannabis policies.

As governments today respond to COVID-19, it’s critical that medical patients maintain access to cannabis for medical use. This is particularly true in Alaska, and we are asking for your help.

Please join with us in asking Gov. Mike Dunleavy to ensure that cannabis businesses, which serve patients along with adult consumers, are included as essential businesses. Click here to send a message to the governor to thank him for keeping businesses open so far and to ask for his support on behalf of patients all around the state.

As of today, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, California, Illinois, Michigan, Maine, Maryland, and Nevada, along with a long list of medical-only states, have declared that retail cannabis establishments are “essential services.” That designation helps ensure access even if there is a stay-at-home order. Alaska’s governor has not yet extended that protection to cannabis businesses, leaving patients and consumers vulnerable. Without a home delivery option, patients and consumers would simply be cut off if retail shops closed. That should not be acceptable, and the governor should hear that message. Help us get word to his office.

The flip side is for all of us in the cannabis movement to remember that in many ways, we are also stewards of health. Businesses should consider measures to help ensure the well-being of their patients and customers through social distancing and good business practices.

Some resources:

• Our own letter to the governor is available here.
• The Alaska Marijuana Industry Association’s great letter and recommendations for businesses is here.
• A chart we put together that compares different state approaches in response to COVID-19 is here.
• The link to get word to the Alaska governor’s office on this issue is here.

Please stay safe, and mind your health and the health of this community.

Urge governors of medical cannabis states to ensure access in times of social distancing.

In the past week or two, our lives have changed dramatically.

As we strive to “flatten the curve,” schools have shuttered their doors. Those workplaces that can switch to remote work, including MPP, have done so. Hundreds of thousands of workers are newly unemployed. Tens of thousands of Americans have been diagnosed with the virus, and healthcare professionals are making heroic sacrifices.

Our hearts go out to each of you for all you are going through as we come together to reduce the death toll.

As some states roll out “Safer at Home” policies, they are recognizing people still need access to essentials, including medicine. MPP and allied organizations are working to make sure they do not lose sight of the fact that millions of Americans depend on cannabis as part of their treatment regimens.

We are urging governors and legislative leaders in states with medical cannabis and legalization laws to ensure access in a way that keeps everyone as safe as possible.

You can sign our petition here to add your voice to the plea for safe access. 

Among the recommendations — which are similar to ones put out by our friends at Americans for Safe Access — are declaring cannabis businesses an essential service (keeping them open in case of a stay-at-home order), allowing delivery, allowing telemedicine, and relaxing bureaucratic requirements that could interfere with access.

We’ve also compiled a list of what measures states currently have in place for safe access in these uncertain times.

We wish you and your loved ones well. We’re all in this together.

From Politico:

With Washington consumed by figuring out how to respond to the coronavirus, few lawmakers or their aides have time for anything else.

Cannabis lobbyists on Capitol Hill are changing strategies as lawmakers leave town and staffers work from home. Politico's Natalie Fertig reached out to a few lobbyists to hear what they expect as Washington enters an unprecedented new way of working for the foreseeable future. Here are the main takeaways:

Early adjournment leaves decrim fix bill up in the air — take action to keep it alive.

Good news! Both chambers of the General Assembly have approved HB 83, a bill that would automatically shield past cannabis charges occurring before October 1, 2014, in which possession was the only charge in the case. The bill now heads to Gov. Larry Hogan’s desk for final approval.

If enacted, HB 83 would shield nearly 200,000 cannabis possession charges from public view on the Judiciary’s “Case Search” website. Unfortunately, this is not a full record expungement. Full record expungement of marijuana possession is available by application after four years. You can find more information on expungement here.

Del. David Moon’s initial version of HB 83 included automatic expungement. However, it was amended in committee due to the complexity and costs involved. Our plan is to push for the stronger bill as part of legalization next year.

In light of the coronavirus, the General Assembly will adjourn its session tomorrow and will hold a special session the last week of May.

The decision leaves the fate of another important cannabis reform bill — HB 550 —uncertain. The bill would increase the amount of cannabis decriminalized in Maryland from 10 grams to one ounce, which would save thousands of Marylanders from arrests and criminal charges for simple possession.

Please take a minute to urge your senator to take up HB 550 before the legislature adjourns. Then, forward this message to other Marylanders and encourage them to do the same.